At last, one evening, he walked up to a table and said to the croupier, "When was zero up last ?" The croupier answered, "Not for an hour." Forthwith he began to stake on zero and on nothing else.

For two hours he put his louis at each turn of the wheel on the Lonely Nought.

For two hours he lost.

Increasing his stake, which had begun at five francs and had risen at length to five louis, he still coaxed the sardonic deity.

Finally midnight came, and he was the only person playing at the table.